Attempts to rescue a runaway hippo trapped in a South African game reserve swimming pool have ended in tragedy.

Rescuers try to retrieve runaway hippo from swimming pool (PA)

The young hippopotamus, named Solly, died ahead of a planned operation to rescue him from the pool on Friday.

He had escaped from his herd and went to relax in the lodge’s pool, however he soon became stuck.

After diving in to the water at the Monate Conservation lodge near Johannesburg on Tuesday it was realised that he had plenty of space to swim, but could not clamber out unaided.’We’ve been waiting all morning. I’m very heartbroken at the loss of Solly,’ lodge manager Ruby Ferreira told Eyewitness News.Mulsabel Wentzel, from South Africa’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, revealed that the game capture team had planned to sedate the animal and then lift it out of the pool safely with a crane.

To make the rescue operation easier much of the water had already been drained and a veterinarian was present to care for the hippo.

Despite efforts to keep the animal hydrated, local wildlife rescue expert Simon Prinsloo said the young hippo died before it could be sedated.

The four-year-old hippo’s mother recently gave birth to a sibling, which then caused the dominant males of the herd to force the youngster out.